Community Champions

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Today's episode talks about happiness.

It's important to create a happy environment in a community, even if the topic is difficult or sad.

People need a space where they can share their struggles, but they also want to be around like-minded people who uplift them and have a positive outlook on life.

The topic of the community may be what brings people in, but it's not the reason they stay.

It's essential to strike a balance between discussing the difficulties and also talking about positive things, such as hobbies or happy moments.

Today we explore the idea of whether just having a happy environment can be enough for people who are going through tough times.

Next week I have a great interview with Victoria Dioh so be sure to subscribe.

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Welcome to another episode of the Community Champions podcast.

Today's guest is Gulce Onganer from Video Sales Mastery, who has grown her audience on YouTube, initially as a creative outlet and to stop thinking about starting one.

Not being consistent in the beginning of growing a community makes it take longer to see the rewards, causing people to give up. However, ploughing through this stage is what sets some people apart from the rest.

We chat about -

How to decide on the topics for your YouTube videos.

Creating searchable content that answered specific questions,

the importance of titles, descriptions,

and tags in making videos searchable and discoverable.

If you want to get your online business YouTube ready here is a great resource from Gulce. https://www.videosalesmastery.com/get-your-business-youtube-ready-o/

Gulce aims to create content that engages her audience and fosters dialogue rather than just being a monologue, and she explains how she honed this.

And you can follow her on YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@MakingitinHolland

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/growinganengagedonlinecommunity

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoemckeowncommunity/

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On todays epsiode I discuss the importance of listening to groups and communities.

Why is listening such an underrated skill, are we too busy?

Not just superficially listening, really take in what the community is saying and use it to inform the next steps.

Paying attention to the language used by the community can be helpful in developing sales pages or pitches for new products.

Lots of replies to a post can be an indication of interest in a particular topic, which can be useful in validating an offer or in creating a workshop on that topic.

Leave a review letting me know what resonates or if you have any other topics you want me to Cover in future episodes.

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/growinganengagedonlinecommunity

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoemckeowncommunity/

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Today I am interviewing Sarah Aspinall, the founder of Breaking Ballet, an online ballet-inspired fitness program for women in their 40s and beyond.

Sarah has a strong paid membership, and she is the perfect person to talk about how to connect with a community.

She started it by conducting market research to find out what people want in an online program and realized that short workouts, guidance, and community support were critical.

As a result, she decided to offer a membership that includes more than just workouts to help members stay accountable and engaged, She emphasizes the need for members to support each other and not just focus on their own journeys.

Members share the reasons they love the community, because equal, positive, supportive, safe, and brings people together regardless of their backgrounds.

Sarah also mentions that commenting in a positive tone sets the tone for the group and that she is always looking for new ways to connect with her members which is why she has such a high retention rate.

You can connect with Sarah here - https://www.instagram.com/breakingballet/

https://www.facebook.com/BreakingBallet

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While the topic of the community may not be unique, what happens in a community is unique because of the person who runs it.

The only thing that can make a community unique is the person or people behind it.

What they do may not be unique, but the way they do it is.

Sharing more of yourself makes all the difference to genuinely building connections and trust with members, but it can also be one of the hardest things to master.

You want to make your community as unique as you are, that is how it gets remembered and people return to it.

A community is a place to share who you are, give people a teaser of your personality, and make them comfortable with you as a person, not just as a service provider.

People can always Google information, but they cannot Google thoughts, feelings, and intuition.

So we need to work with that, sharing more of who you are as the person behind the brand is important in building connections with people in the community.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/growinganengagedonlinecommunity

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoemckeowncommunity/

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It’s not just the content that matters in a community, but also how you treat people and show up in the community.

REMEMBER, sharing your thoughts, daily routines, discussions and feelings cannot be Googled.

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Today I have a special guest with me. Her name is Lisa Johnson, formerly known as the passive income queen. However, she has evolved over time, so let's hear more about her journey.

We are in 2023, and community seems to be a big word for a lot of people. Visibility is also crucial in audience growth. Having a multi-layered visibility strategy is important to ensure that we are seen where our ideal clients are. It is not enough to post for posting's sake, every post should lead somewhere that aligns with your strategy.

Lisa Johnson shares how she started her Facebook group, Fabulous Women That Get Shit Done, while in Cornwall. Initially, she did not know if anyone would follow her, but within a month, she had around 50 to 60 followers who were listening and commenting. She was addicted to it and started to develop her business from there.

Lisa's community has given her many ideas for her business development, and she has learned so much from them. As her business evolves, she listens, uses her intuition, talks more about what excites her, and sees who follows her with each step she takes. Some people stay, and some people move on to other communities, and that is fine.

Lisa Johnson's paid community is where she shares the highs and lows of her business. It is hard to be vulnerable in front of others, especially those who are learning from you. However, Lisa believes that being honest with people about the highs and lows of her business is crucial for building a strong community.

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lisajohnsonstrategist/

She shares things that did not work as planned and things that were real boosters. It is not easy to share the highs and lows, but it is necessary for building a strong community.

It requires vulnerability and transparency, but it helps people to connect with you on a deeper level.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/growinganengagedonlinecommunity

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoemckeowncommunity/

Join my Weekly challenge - take 5 actions Private podcast -https://plus.acast.com/s/community-champions-private-podcast

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Welcome to the Community Champions podcast, where we talk about growing an online community and navigating the challenges that come with it.

I'm Zoe McKeown and today's episode focuses on the power of honesty.

Next week, we'll have a special guest, Lisa Johnson, who will share how honesty transformed her community.

The power of honesty lies in building trust with your audience, whether it's a group or an email list.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/growinganengagedonlinecommunity

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoemckeowncommunity/

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While honesty can be difficult, sharing bits of your personal life and struggles can help your audience understand you better.

You don't have to share everything, but sharing the person behind your brand or business can create a sense of community. When faced with struggles or decisions, it's important to be honest and share your feelings with your audience.

By doing so, you show them that you value their input and create a space where they can offer support and ask questions.

The power of honesty is the answer to many questions about growing an online community.

So be honest, ask your audience for their thoughts, and remember that it's their community too.

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Today's guest is Charlie Day, who runs the Entrepreneurs Growth Club.

Charlie's Entrepreneurs growth club - https://www.facebook.com/groups/theentrepreneursgrowthclub

Charlie describes her community as one of the best things that has happened to her. She started the business on a whim in 2020 and has always been a business owner.

She started a theatre school but only seven children signed up, but she persevered, and parents asked for weekly classes.

She went all in, held her nerve, and didn't give up.

Charlie's belief and hard work paid off, and she gained traction that led to more sales. She reflects that giving up at the first hurdle could have led to a different outcome.

She has experienced similar resilience growing her online community, the hardest period is 0 to 1000 members, but after 4000, growth became easier.

We discuss the growth of Charlie's Sunday night live show.

Building a community is showing up as your authentic self and sharing parts of your life, Non-salesy content, posts about crisp flavours, and the importance of creating a safe space ensuring that everyone's voice is heard.

Charlie has been running the Entrepreneurs Growth Club for almost two years, which has over 8,000 members. The group focuses on helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses and make genuine connections with other members. Charlie has created a safe place where even those who have not made a sale in a while can feel supported and encouraged.

Positivity is one of the key features of hanging out in Charlie’s world, but she understands the need for balance and encourages members to share their low times and also be willing to share their high times.

We chat about distinguishing between a free group and our paid services. 

Neither of us are shy when talking about our paid services as it emphasizes the need for reciprocity in the community.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/growinganengagedonlinecommunity

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoemckeowncommunity/

Join my Weekly challenge - take 5 actions Private podcast -https://plus.acast.com/s/community-champions-private-podcast

Here is the link to my ’10 steps to Facebook group success’

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In this episode I will talk about the importance of prioritising your paid services when setting up a free community.

Many people who set up a free community often focus on what they think the people in the community need, and this may result in giving away too much for free.

It is essential to be conscious of what you are doing and to prioritize paid services, because if you don't, how can you expect them to?

Do you feel like you are doing this?

or have you fallen into general chit chat leading nowhere?

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You should feel in control of your group and not the other way around, beholden to the members.

Are you always ready and looking for people that need help in your group and pointing them in the direction of that help?

So I will also lead by example today on the podcast and introduce you to my private (paid for) podcast.

 https://plus.acast.com/s/community-champions-private-podcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/growinganengagedonlinecommunity

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoemckeowncommunity/

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Today, I am interviewing Nikki Gundy, an accountability coach and the founder of a fitness community on Instagram. Nikki describes herself as her community’s cheerleader, conscience, coach, and positivity ambassador.

Nikki’s positivity is what shines through and makes people want to be part of her community. It’s like attending an exercise class, where the instructor's energy and attitude are what keep her coming back.

She built her fitness community on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nikkigundy/ almost eight years ago, at a time when fitness communities were just emerging and when she was struggling after having her second baby.

Nikki says that being in a community with these women changed her life, and it was a partnership of equals where everyone was trying to support each other.

Her community grew because she was authentic and genuine in telling her story of trying to get fit and lose baby weight. Nikki says that her community is the foundation of everything she has, and it's not about the number of likes or followers, but the daily partnership where she and her community members witness each other's lives and find purpose and meaning in supporting each other.

We both agree a community should be a place where people can participate in whatever way they want, without feeling guilty for not engaging in a certain way and discuss the value of having "loyal listeners" in their community who may not necessarily engage in conversation, but still find value in being part of the community.

Nikki mentions that she started out on Instagram without a plan or strategy, and while she did have opportunities for some great brand partnerships, it didn't feel right for her to just interact with her audience in that way.

Instead, she listened to her audience and figured out what they wanted from her, and what was missing in their lives. She used this information to create a business plan that was aligned with her values and the needs of her community.

Nikki emphasises that creating a community of equals, where people feel comfortable sharing their struggles and triumphs, is crucial. She also stresses the importance of being genuine and authentic with community members.

The power of creating a personal touch in online communities, and the value of creating a stable, dependable, and evolving community that feels like home to its members.

We also discuss the concept of giving away free content in a community,

and how Nikki started her Facebook group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/nikkigundyinnermagic

and her advice for those struggling with Facebook posts.

Join my Weekly challenge - take 5 actions Private podcast -https://plus.acast.com/s/community-champions-private-podcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/growinganengagedonlinecommunity

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoemckeowncommunity/

Here is the link to my ’10 steps to Facebook group success’

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